Newspaper and magazine publishers have benefited from modern computer technology. For example, digital typesetting and copy preparation have mostly replaced manual operations to provide much higher levels of efficiency and flexibility than were previously possible. Images to appear in publications can be digitized and transmitted electronically across the world in seconds. The copy and format of entire publications such as newspapers are now routinely transmitted by satellite or other high speed data transmission paths to multiple printing sites to provide national and international publication and distribution. Digital computer technology has also allowed publishers to produce variable, targeted versions of publications with variable advertising and other content aimed at different micro-audiences or even individual subscribers.
While many formerly-manual processes involved in newspaper, magazine and other publishing have been virtually revolutionized by digital computer technology, the process of actually delivering newspapers and other publications to readers has remained largely unchanged. Some futurists have long predicted the obsolescence of paper copies in favor of digital data transmission and display, but most attempts at delivering data instead of paper to readers have met with only marginal success. While many newspapers provide web sites supplementing distribution of hard copies to doorsteps and newsstands every morning, the idea of replacing paper copy distribution with digital data has not yet become a commercial reality. Most people like to read their newspapers and magazines at the breakfast table, on the train, sitting in an easy chair and in various other places that do not require proximity to a computer display. The resolution, convenience, cost-effectiveness and other advantages of printed copy cannot currently be matched by practical present day digital distribution techniques.
Because the distribution of paper copies of newspapers, magazines and other daily or periodic publications remains critical to readership and the associated generation of advertising revenue, effective publishing businesses continue to rely on traditional methods of distributing printed copy to readers. For example, newspapers still continue to make wide use of full-time and part-time delivery personnel to deliver newspapers to residential and business customers. The delivery process continues to be highly manual and labor-intensive. In larger population centers, delivery boys and girls have been largely replaced by professional delivery men and women whose careers are to deliver newspapers and magazines, but not much has changed in the way most newspapers are delivered.
Anyone who ever had a paper route remembers the general steps involved in getting a daily newspaper from the publisher to customers. Typically, newspapers are printed overnight and are readied for distribution early in the morning. Route delivery men and women meet at distribution depots to pick up newspapers for delivery. If necessary, the newspapers may be manually prepared by adding inserts, placed into plastic bags to protect them from weather, etc. The delivery people pick up their allotment of newspapers and drive along predetermined delivery routes, distributing newspapers as they go. Residential delivery routes usually involve leaving a newspaper at each subscriber's home or office. Some newspapers are now using their delivery workforce as service organizations to deliver national newspapers such as the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. Billing is now done principally by mail.
Delivery people are also used to distribute newspapers to retail outlets, vending machines and other locations that receive multiple copies, often following a predetermined route. These delivery people are sent out into the field on predetermined delivery trips including a number of delivery locations. The locations can include for example newsstands, retail outlets, vending machines, etc. The delivery people are given a total “draw” (number of copies) based on historical sales. Historical sales are often looked at based on different days of the week since Tuesday sales may be radically different than Friday sales, and Saturday and Sunday sales are different from weekday sales. The delivery people allocate their total “draw” based on historical sales in each retail outlet or other sales location (e.g., “this particular store usually sells at least a dozen papers on Tuesdays so I'll leave 15 copies this Tuesday”). In the process of delivering the current edition, the delivery people may also pick up unsold copies of the previous edition as returns (retail outlets typically are not charged for unsold copies). The delivery people bring the returns back to the depot where they are counted manually, and the returns by location are collected and reported to the data processing center for bill generation.
Meanwhile, route managers may receive telephone complaints or requests from customers and retail outlets such as “I didn't get enough papers today”, “Where is my newspaper delivery”, or “My paper is wet, I need another one.” Additional delivery people may be dispatched or delivery personnel already out in the field may be contacted to remedy these problems. In some cases, additional delivery personnel may go out into the field later in the day to adjust the distribution by, for example, taking copies from slower-selling locations and shifting them to “hot” locations where they are more likely to sell. These so-called “shuffle” runs can be important to maximizing sales based on a given day's total circulation.
The newspaper delivery scenarios described above and other scenarios involving the delivery of perishable or time-sensitive goods to retail outlets, vending machines and the like typically involve delivering the goods in quantities based on historic demand. Inaccurate monitoring, analysis and planning of retail outlet draws and sales may result in disparities between the quantity of goods delivered to a retail outlet and the quantity of goods sold. If the number of newspapers and other periodicals delivered to a retail outlet are substantially more or less than those actually purchased, the inefficient allocation directly results in lost revenue and lost opportunities for customers to enjoy the benefits of the product. Retail outlets that sell out of newspapers early in the day represent lost sales. Because newspapers and other timely publications are highly perishable (few people are interested in reading yesterday's newspaper), unsold overstock is simply wasted. While “shuffle runs” as discussed above provide a manual way to try to remedy some of these allocation disparities, it would be highly desirable to provide improved tools for managing the efficient distribution of perishable products such as but not limited to newspapers, magazines and other timely periodicals.
There have been attempts in the past to apply digital computing technology to the challenges associated with distribution and delivery of perishable products. As one example, The Atlanta Journal—Constitution and the Arizona Republic have each implemented delivery data distribution networks that place handheld computing devices into the hands of newspaper delivery personnel. Such handheld computing devices may be used to specify a delivery route, provide messaging or other instructions, and for certain data collection purposes. However, further improvements are possible and desirable. In particular, there is a need for improved automation to support the allocation and tracking of perishable and time-sensitive goods delivered to retail outlets, vending machines and other distribution locations serving multiple potential customers.
In general, the present invention solves existing problems and improves upon prior approaches by providing systems and methods for tracking, controlling, optimizing and otherwise managing the mass delivery of similar goods including but not limited to time-sensitive goods such as newspapers, periodicals, and promotional materials.
In one exemplary illustrative non-limiting embodiment, newspaper delivery personnel are provided with portable handheld devices loaded with information pertaining to delivery routes and schedules. These handheld devices provide for the efficient collection of route delivery information at the retail or other outlet level. The system automatically collects, aggregates and formats the collected information into usable data for a variety of business reports, customer billings, and other planning purposes.
In addition to providing outlet-level sales information, the illustrative exemplary system and method improves the accuracy of deliveries and returns. It also can eliminate the use of paper to keep track of route lists, deliveries, shuffles, and returns. The illustrative system can be used to replace previous methods of tracking “single copy” delivery information to provide a more comprehensive solution.
One illustrative method of delivering goods comprises creating a database including at least route delivery information, communicating at least portions of said database to respective handheld devices for display thereon; delivering said goods based at least in part on said displayed database portions; using said handheld devices to collect information during said delivering step, and communicating said collected information to said database, wherein said collected information comprises shuffle information.
The communicating steps may be performed intermittently in batch mode, wirelessly or continually in real time. Automatic reading of bar codes from goods may be performed. The goods may comprise time-sensitive goods such as newspapers or other periodicals. The route delivery information specifies multiple products. The data collection may comprise collecting retail store representative signatures and/or return depot signatures. The data collection may comprise collecting and automatically counting the number of return goods. The handheld devices may be operated to modify said route delivery information, and communicating said modifications between said handheld devices over an infrared link or otherwise. The data collection step may comprise collecting at least one time stamp. The database may be maintained by plural geographically separated entities. Bills may be generated based at least in part on said data collected by said data collecting step.
A system for delivering time-sensitive goods such as newspapers or other publications may comprise: a database server that stores database information including at least route delivery information, a communications server coupled to said database server, said communications server communicating selected subsets of said database information to respective handheld devices for display thereon; said respective handheld devices each including a display that displays information for, in use, guiding the delivery of said time-sensitive goods, said handheld devices including a data communications arrangement that communicates said collected information to said database, wherein said collected information comprises shuffle information.
A further method of providing delivery management services may comprise operating web-enabled computing equipment providing a database and web enabled applications; allowing plural users to access said web-enabled computing equipment to define at least plural delivery routes; communicating said delivery routes to respective remote handheld devices; using said handheld devices to collect delivery information; and reporting said collected delivery information to said computing equipment for bill generation.
One exemplary more detailed but non-limiting arrangement includes a mainframe computer, a web server connected to the mainframe computer, a communications server connected to the web server, and a handheld computer linked to the communications server. The mainframe computer houses databases of demographic and field data information about consumers, including both subscribers and non-subscribers, delivery routes and draws for retail outlets. The web server provides software applications that access the mainframe computer's databases to maintain, update and create customized versions of subscription data, subscriber profiles, delivery routes and retail outlet draws. Users can access the web server via the Internet using conventional web browsing software/hardware. The communications server permits users to download data to and upload data from the handheld devices. The handheld devices display customized versions of subscription data, subscriber profiles, delivery routes and retail outlet draws and enable users to input field data for inclusion in the mainframe computer's databases. In another exemplary arrangement, the mainframe computer functionality is not used and database information is maintained on a database server coupled to the web server.
Further features and advantages of exemplary illustrative arrangements include:                intelligent advanced shuffle handling and tracking        web-based planning tools        sequencing of distribution outlets along a trip or route        delivery without employing paper lists        trip management/tracking        intermittent or continual connectivity and/or data reporting        time stamping/time-based tracking        retail manager signature input as part of data collection        billing support (time stamping and signatures)        maximizing ease and speed of development and deployment        server centric, Java based component model and toolset        accommodating a variety of different client devices        providing portability across a diverse server environment        supporting open, unifying Java platform to provide flexible scalability and quality of service        leveraging and extending existing assets to improve time to market and reduce cost of development        secure, reliable, and scalable applications        supporting web browser clients and other new technologies and paradigms        supporting ASP, service-oriented business models        